In spite of substantial advances in the art of encasing meat emulsion in tubular casings, small air bubbles exist in the meat and in wrinkles within the casing. These air bubbles shorten the shelf life of the meat.
Some large meat processing machines, (blenders, choppers, etc.) use a vacuum system in an effort to get the air out of the meat processed therein. However, when the meat emulsion processed in such machines is mixed to facilitate the air removal process, the meat is damaged.
Therefore, a principal object of this invention is to provide a method and means for encasing meat products wherein air bubbles in both the meat emulsion and in the casing will be effectively removed so that the finished encased meat product will be substantially free from air bubbles either in the meat or the casing.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.